In Saints of Our Lives, Team Busted Halo acts out the lives of the saints in soap opera fashion! In this episode, we dramatize the lives of Saint Vincent de Paul and Saint Louise de Marillac.

Saint Vincent de Paul was born into a peasant family in France in 1581. Vincent was educated by the Franciscans, and performed so well academically that he was hired to tutor the children of a wealthy family. He used this money to attend the University of Toulouse to study theology.

Vincent was ordained a priest in 1600, and remained in Toulouse for a few years. In 1605 while traveling by ship, he was captured and brought to Tunis, Tunisia where he was sold as a slave. Two years later, Vincent escaped and returned to France, where he dedicated his life to serving the poor.

Louise de Marillac grew nearby in Oise, France. Born out of wedlock, Louise was taken in by relatives who served in the queen’s court. She had a great education, but grew up with poor health. At age 15, she felt called to become a nun and enter a cloistered monastery. Her spiritual advisor discouraged her from this idea and arranged for her, instead, to marry. Louise did get married, and held a leadership role with the Ladies of Charity, an organization of wealthy women dedicated to caring for people oppressed by poverty and sickness. Louise had a vision that she would do great work under the guidance of someone she had not yet met. This turned out to be Saint Vincent de Paul.

Vincent sent Louise out on missions with other women. She traveled throughout France establishing hospitals, orphanages, and many other organizations with her community members.